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"So you're a rat and a thief, now?" Noelle had asked, regarding the girl with pity in her eyes.
"Can you prove it?' Ann Marie had raised her chin up high, meeting Noelle's gaze head on.
Noelle had to agree that for their enmity, the girl had never backed down from an argument.
"Maybe I can't," Noelle had shrugged. "But does it matter now? I won and you…" she'd taken a step closer. "You lost," she'd whispered in her ear.
Ann Marie had stiffened at the words, and for a moment Noelle had thought she was going to hit her. She wouldn't put it past Ann Marie to resort to violence if she didn't get what she wanted. She'd shown signs of it before but the conflict had always been interrupted by a teacher before it could escalate.
Looking in her eyes, however, Noelle had noticed the pure seeds of hatred.
Ann Marie wasn't just jealous of her. She detested her.
Somehow, the vehemence of that emotion had given Noelle pause, a shiver going down her back.
Noelle may be snappy herself, and she certainly never took something without giving back with equal measure. It was just how she was built.
Hit me once and I'll hit you twice.
She didn't attack unprovoked. But once she was provoked, however, she tended to go for the jugular, biting and rarely letting go. And as someone who recognized herself as troubled, Noelle sensed something eerily similar in Ann Marie. There was something lurking beneath her polished façade, and Noelle didn't like it one bit.
"I feel sorry for you, Annie," she'd sported her signature smile as she'd looked the girl up and down with pity in her gaze. "You might have been a good player on your own. But like this… You'll never be on my level," Noelle smirked. "I'll play at Carnegie Hall and you…" she'd paused at the girl's murderous expression. "You'll probably beg mommy and daddy for spare parts, isn't that right?"
"You're dead, Noelle," Ann Marie spat, taking a step forward just as her hand had shot out, going for Noelle's hair. She'd barely moved out of the way, catching her wrist. But she hadn't noticed the other hand, and she'd felt the sting of a slap. "Enjoy your win for now. I promise it won't last for much longer."
Ann Marie had given her one last look of disgust before she'd walked away.
Noelle shook herself. It didn't do well to dwell on unpleasant memories. And Ann Marie was becoming increasingly nastier. The rat prank, which Noelle was sure had been her work, then the theft and her parting words?
She was convinced there was something wrong with the girl—somethingmorbidlywrong.
Otherwise how could she steal her piece and perform it in front of everyone so shamelessly? How could she look Noelle in the eye and not react at the accusation, merely inquiring on whether it could be proven?
Unfortunately for Noelle, they were bound to cross paths again and again until graduation. She just hoped nothing of this nature would occur again.
"I want to take you shopping tomorrow," Yuyu suddenly said, shaking Noelle from her reverie.
"Shopping?" she squeaked, her eyes widening.
"For the concert. We'll get you the prettiest dress," Yuyu intoned excitedly.
Unlike the school competition, the actual concert did not require all performers to wear the same thing. While there was still a dress code, as was the case with every concert of that caliber, Noelle could have more input.
Yuyu seemed more excited at the prospect of shopping than her, so Noelle merely nodded. She wouldn't mind spending more time with Yuyu as she loved her company.
"Then it's set. You can have your girls' day and Val and I will have a guys' day," Cisco winked and everyone laughed.
It was a known fact what a guys' day implied for Cisco and Val—ignoring each other while focusing on their own games. In silence.
Noelle couldn't help but giggle at the mental image. But if it worked for them, then why not?
The dinner went better than she could have imagined. Cisco and Yuyu listened to her thoughts and never belittled her for her opinions. She wasn't very talkative, but slowly she found herself opening herself more.
It was even better the following weekend when Noelle and Yuyu finally found the time for their girls' day.
Yuyu was so happy at the prospect of shopping that Noelle couldn't find the heart to tell her she wasn't very keen on it. Especially when Yuyu listed an entire itinerary she'd prepared for the two of them.
They started off with brunch before they went to a department store in search of the perfect dress.
